I believe most of us are familiar with this verse from Paul the Apostle.
“But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you.” 2 Corinthians 10:13 NASB 1977 Edition
I find it interesting how some feel like they are ‘God’s Gift’ to everyone…literally! As my Grandmother used to tell me when she corrected and reprimanded me in my teenage years – “You’re getting too big for your britches!”
Grandma was not telling me that I was getting fat, but rather that my head was getting fat! I thought who I was, and not really who I was. I had an overinflated opinion of myself. Well, this is common in adolescence. But as we mature we do realize and thank God, eventually, I did figure out that – “I was not all that and a bag of chips!” (NJ street expression)
Sadly, many in the church are spiritually like I was naturally in my adolescence, “too big for my own britches.” So many many of us believe our own hype and our own press. We really do think we are all that when in reality we are not!
We are NOT God’s Gift to everyone! But, we are God’s Gift to some. I have figured out a long time ago I am just not everybody’s “cup of tea.” Some folks like me and some folks don’t. It can be based on personality, style of delivery, age, gender, ethnicity, or any plethora of factors…but some people I just will never be able to minister to or help.
Even though I endeavor to become: “All things to all men,” I know that I have my limitations! Romans chapter 12 tells us to not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, but to think soberly. It is high time some of us actually did that.
Did you notice what Paul wrote? “We will not boast beyond our measure.” He understood that he did have a measure, metron, or sphere; and that it was limited. Let’s face it, we are not assigned to everybody, and everybody is not assigned to us!
Paul went on to say: “But within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us a measure.” He recognized that it was God that set the parameters and the measure of their sphere, not themselves. We must come to the same place!
Paul clearly understood that he was assigned to the Gentiles and that Peter was assigned to the Jews. Those were their metrons, spheres, and measures. We must identify ours, not with an overinflated opinion of ourselves, thinking more highly than we ought, but thinking soberly.
I have a Spiritual Daughter that is gifted and graced in ways that I am not, and she reaches and ministers to people that I could never reach. Truth be told, the only reason that some of those that she reaches listen to me at all or give me the time of day is that I am her father, she honors me, and they listen to and honor her.
I have understood this on a personal level about my personal ministry for quite a few years now. I know I can minister to some, I can help some and some I can’t! My metron, sphere, and measure is limited, not limitless.
However, what I am now discovering is that we need to see beyond just our personal ministries, and consider our corporate ministries, alliances, networks, etcetera. Not every camp, stream, move of God, network, etcetera is the same…”Not everybody’s cup of tea.”
We help those we can help, and those we can’t, we can’t. If our group can help…wonderful! If our group cannot, God has a stream, group, camp, etcetera that can. Whenever a group thinks they are the only game in town it is a danger. There is a big body of Christ out there and every group, camp, stream, etcetera has its own metron, sphere, and measure; but none of them are- “God’s Gift To Everyone,”